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Governor's Cabinet

General Jefferson Burton, The Adjutant General

Jefferson Burton

Major General Jefferson S. Burton assumed his duties as The Adjutant General, Utah National Guard on October 1, 2012, following a ceremonial Change of Command on September 29, 2012, with responsibility for the 7,500 Soldiers and Airmen of the Utah National Guard.

General Burton began his military service in 1982 as an enlisted Soldier in the Field Artillery. He attended Brigham Young University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1984. General Burton served for six years as a Regular Army Officer in the Military Police Corps completing tours at the United States Army Military Police School, Fort McClellan, Alabama; in Europe with 7th United States Corps and at Fort Carson, Colorado with the 4th Infantry Division. He returned to the Utah Army National Guard in 1991 and branch transferred to the Engineer Corps. He has served in a myriad of positions to include Company Commander; Battalion Executive Officer; Assistant Professor of Military Science at both Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University; Director of Civil Military Relations and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. He is a two time Battalion Commander first leading the Recruiting and Retention Battalion and most recently serving as Commander, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, which deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I as part of the 1st Armored Division Task Force. His most recent duty was Assistant Adjutant General – Commander, Utah Army National Guard, with responsibility for the training and mobilization of more than 5,500 Soldiers.

EDUCATION:
  • 1986 University of the State of New York, Bachelor of Science, Sociology, Albany, New York
  • 2001 University of Phoenix, Master of Arts, Educational Counseling, Chandler, Arizona
  • 2006 United States Army War College, Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
  • 2006 United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
  • 2011 Harvard University, Certificate in National and International Security, Cambridge, Massachusetts
ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. May 1984 - July 1986, Platoon Leader, 625th Military Police Company, Murray, Utah
  2. July 1986 - November 1986, Student, Military Police Officer Basic Course, Fort McClellan, Alabama
  3. November 1986 - April 1988, Platoon Leader, 204th Military Police Company, VII United States Corps, Stuttgart, Federal Republic of Germany
  4. April 1988 - January 1990, Training Officer, 385th Military Police Battalion, VII United States Corps, Ludwigsburg, Federal Republic of Germany
  5. January 1990 - September 1990, Student, Military Police Officer Advanced Course, Fort McClellan, Alabama
  6. September 1990 - August 1991, Operations Officer, 4th Infantry Division Provost Marshall’s Office, Fort Carson, Colorado
  7. August 1991 - October 1991, Control Group (Ready Reserve), Saint Louis, Missouri
  8. October 1991 - June 1992, Logistics Officer, Headquarters, State Area Regional Command, Draper, Utah
  9. June 1992 - June 1993, Commander, Headquarters Company, 115th Engineer Combat Group Combat, Draper, Utah
  10. June 1993 - January 1994, Operations Officer, Headquarters, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, American Fork, Utah
  11. January 1994 - August 1995, S-2 Intelligence Officer 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, American Fork, Utah
  12. August 1995 - July 1996, Plans Officer, 115th Engineer Combat Group, Draper, Utah
  13. July 1996 - March 1997, Executive Officer, 115th Engineer Battalion, Lehi, Utah
  14. March 1997 - June 1999, Executive Officer, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, American Fork, Utah
  15. June 1999 - March 2000, Executive Officer, 115th Engineer Battalion, Lehi, Utah
  16. March 2000 - December 2000, Assistant Professor of Military Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
  17. December 2000 - August 2002, Commander, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Headquarters State Area Command, Draper, Utah
  18. August 2002 - February 2003, Commander, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, Draper, Utah
  19. February 2003 - May 2004, Commander, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq
  20. May 2003 - February 2005, Commander, 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion, Draper, Utah
  21. February 2005 - August 2005, Director of Civil Military Relations, Utah Joint Force Headquarters, Utah National Guard, Draper, Utah
  22. August 2005 - June 2006, Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
  23. June 2006 - July 2007, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Utah Joint Force Headquarters, Utah National Guard, Draper, Utah
  24. July 2007 – September 2012, Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Utah National Guard, Utah Joint Force Headquarters, Draper, Utah
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
  • Legion of Merit
  • Bronze Star Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
  • Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
  • Iraqi Campaign Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  • Armed Force Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass and M Device)
  • Army Service Ribbon
  • Overseas Service Ribbon
  • Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 3)
  • Utah Medal of Merit
  • Utah Commendation Medal
  • Utah Achievement Ribbon
  • Utah Joint Staff Service Ribbon
  • Utah State Partnership Program Service Ribbon
  • Utah Service Ribbon (with 2 silver beehives)
  • Utah Emergency Service Ribbon
  • 2002 Olympic Winter Games Service Ribbon
  • Utah Recruiting Ribbon
  • Utah Basic Training Ribbon
  • Joint Meritorious Unit Award
  • Meritorious Unit Citation
  • Combat Action Badge
  • Parachutist Badge
  • Recruiting and Retention Badge
  • German Armed Forces Parachute Badge (Bronze)
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • Distinguished Military Graduate 1984, Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, Brigham Young University
  • Recipient, DeFluery Award, Army Engineer Association
  • Recipient, Order of Saint Barbara, Army Artillery Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
  • Second Lieutenant ARNG 17 May 1984
  • First Lieutenant RA 18 April 1987
  • Captain RA 01 May 1990
  • Captain ARNG 07 October 1991
  • Major ARNG 13 January 1997
  • Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 20 March 2002
  • Colonel ARNG 30 September 2005
  • Brigadier General (Line) ARNG 10 January 2008
  • Major General (Line) ARNG 27 June 2012